A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

Low Pay? Don't Pay!

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  2w, 7m

Dario Fo, Joseph Farrell

An uproarious new version of Dario Fo's frenetic farce Can't Pay? Won't Pay! which, although set in Italy, has an all too familiar ring to it. It takes into account the global banking crisis and this translation, by world-leading Fo scholar Joseph Farrell, hints at UK current affairs too, including the credit crunch and MPs' expenses scandal.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 7m
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Farce
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Details

Summary
An uproarious new version of Dario Fo's frenetic farce Can't Pay? Won't Pay! which, although set in Italy, has an all too familiar ring to it. Housewives Antonia and Margherita, fed up with high prices in the supermarket, take matters into their own hands and start shoplifting. Keen to keep their light-fingered antics from their husbands, Giovanni and Luigi - not to mention the police - the women are forced to resort to more and more inventive hiding places, and more and more elaborate cover stories, in this legendary comedy. Nobel prize winner Dario Fo is Italy's leading contemporary playwright, renowned for his hilarious satires including Accidental Death of an Anarchist. He has re-written his classic farce Can't Pay? Won't Pay! to take into account the global banking crisis and this translation, by world-leading Fo scholar Joseph Farrell, hints at UK current affairs too, including the credit crunch and MPs' expenses scandal. Although first written in 1970, this updated farce is still very relevant to today's state of affairs.
History
This translation was first performed at Salisbury Playhouse on 7 April 2010. The original play, Sotto Paga? Non Si Paga! was first performed on 3 October 1974 in the Palazzina Liberty in Milan.

ANTONIA — unemployed
GIOVANNI — worker, husband of Antonia
MARGHERITA — in temporary employment
LUIGI — worker, husband of Margherita
SERGEANT
INSPECTOR
UNDERTAKER
SECOND UNDERTAKER
OLD MAN
— father of Giovanni
VARIOUS POLICEMEN AND PORTERS

The roles of the Sergeant, Inspector, Undertaker and of the Old Man will be played by the same actor.

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

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Authors

Author

Dario Fo

Author

Joseph Farrell

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